War Diaries - Available Free UPDATED 1st July 2012

[warproject]

Thanks again Glyn.

Greatly appreciated.

Sandy

[jainvince]

UPDATED 20th October 2011

PLEASE NOTE

Canadian War Diaries available from their own websites are listed below.

Most British Infantry Regimental War Diaries are listed on Post no 1. All other British War Diaries

including those held within the Canadian Archive are listed on Post 215. Certain 'Army' diaries are listed below as well as on Post 215.

Australian and NZ War Diaries are now listed separately on Post 233

Canadian War Diaries

CANADIAN War Diaries available from Canadian Great War Project see post below

http://1914-1918.invisionzone.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=144962

or

http://www.canadiangreatwarproject.com/warDiaryLac/wdLacP31.asp

This is an extensive Archive - see below for summary

BRITISH WAR DIARIES in Canadian Archive - Go to above website for links. BRITISH WAR DIARIES

1st Army Attack on Vimy by 1st Army 1917/03/20-1917/05/17

1st Army First Army 1915/02/07-1918/11/11

1st Army General Staff 1915/03/01-1915/06/30

1st Army Administrative Branches of the Staff 1915/02/01-1915/06/30

1st Army First Army Operation 1918/08/26-1918/11/11

2nd Army

2nd Army Conferences 1916/01-1916/08

2nd Army Battle of Messines 1917/06

2nd Army War Diary 1916/02/01-1916/05/31

2nd Army Diary 1916/06/01-1916/08/31

2nd Army Second Army 1915/04/01-1917/11/30 1916/07/01-1916/10/31

2nd Army Sketch Maps 1915/10/11-1917/11/18

2nd Army Administrative Branches of the Staff 1915/02/01-1917/11/30

2nd Army General Staff 1915/02/01-1917/11/30 1916/01-1917/11 1917/09 (No LAC Entries Currently Exist)

2nd Army Orders and Summaries 1915/11/22-1916/09/21 1915/09/15-1915/11/21 1915/12/24-1916/07/22

2nd Army Reports, 3rd Division 1916/03/18

2nd Army Quartermaster General 1916/02/01-1916/08/31

Administrative Branches of the Staff Fourth Army 1918/08/01-1918/08/31

General Staff Fourth Army 1918/08/01-1918/08/31

Reserve and Fifth Army, Administrative Branches of the Staff Fourth Army 1916/08/01-1916/11/30

Reserve and Fifth Army General Staff Fourth Army 1916/08/01-1916/11/30

Cavalry Corps Nos. 1 to 5 Cavalry Divisions 1st Corps 1915/04/01-1915/05/31

Administrative Branches of the Staff 1st Corps 1915/05/01-1915/05/31

General Staff 1st Corps 1915/05/01-1915/05/31

Organization and Supervision 2nd Corps 1915/05/01-1915/08/31

General Staff 2nd Corps 1915/07/01-1916/11/30

Deputy Adjutant and Quartermaster General 2nd Corps 1915/07/01-1916/10/31

Administrative Branches of the Staff 2nd Corps 1915/09/01-1916/11/13

Headquarters 2nd Corps 1915/03/01-1916/10/31

3rd Corps, General Staff 1915/05/01-1915/07/31

Cavalry Corps Nos. 1 to 5 Cavalry Divisions 3rd Corps 1915/04/01-1915/05/31

General Staff 4th Corps 1915/03/01-1915/06/30

Administrative Branches of the Staff 4th Corps 1915/03/01-1915/06/30

Precis of Units Attached 5th Corps 1915/04/01-1915/04/30

General Staff 5th Corps 1915/04/01-1915/05/31

Administrative Branches of the Staff 5th Corps 1915/04/01-1915/05/31

Divisional Boundaries, 5th Corps 5th Corps 1915/04

XIV Corps 5th Corps 1916/06/16-1916/06/22

XVII Corps 5th Corps 1918/09/01-1918/09/30

Cavalry Corps Note: Canadian.

General Staff 4th Division Note: mainly Canadian. 1915/04/01-1915/05/31

Administrative Branches of the Staff 4th Division Note: mainly Canadian. 1915/04/01-1915/05/31

10th, 11th, 12th Brigades 4th Division Note: mainly Canadian. 1915/04/01-1915/05/31

4th Division 4th Division Note: mainly Canadian. 1918/08/26-1918/09/04

4th Division 10th, 11th, 12th Brigades 4th Division Note: mainly Canadian. 1915/04/01-1915/05/31

CANADIAN WAR DIARY

3RD Canadian Tunnelling Co - Please PM 'Bernard P'

The Royal Canadian Regiment can be found here: http://regimentalrogue.com/rcr_great_war/rcr_war_diary.html

AUSTRALIAN WAR DIARY

1 Australian Tunnelling Co - Please PM 'Bernard P'

CANADIAN WAR DIARIES available via the link below - Units Earliest Date Latest Date

http://1914-1918.invisionzone.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=144962

or

http://www.canadiangreatwarproject.com/warDiaryLac/wdLacP31.asp

The following is a list of war diaries that have been transcribed and are available. Note that the earliest and latest dates do not mean that the entries are contiguous.

B Squadron Royal North West Mounted Police (Siberia) 12/05/1918 5/30/1919

Canadian Corps Cyclist Battalion 11/11/1918 11/11/1918

Eaton Machine Gun Battery 08/05/1917 9/26/1917

Field Cashier, Canadian Corps Troops 11/11/1918 11/12/1918

No.1 Tunnelling Coy.,Canadian Engineers 2/16/1916 10/31/1916

No.2 Tunnelling Coy.,Canadian Engineers 04/07/1916 12/31/1917

No.3 Tunnelling Coy.,Canadian Engineers 1/16/1916 6/30/1917

Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry 11/03/1914 1/29/1919

1st Battalion Canadian Machine Gun Corps 11/11/1918 11/11/1918

1st Battalion, Canadian Engineers 04/01/1916 5/31/1916

1st Canadian Field Ambulance 11/11/1918 11/11/1918

1st Canadian Infantry Battalion 6/17/1915 11/11/1918

1st Canadian Mounted Rifles 10/01/1917 11/11/1918

1st Siege Bty.,Canadian Garrison Artillery 06/12/1916 09/07/1918

1st. Canadian Field Artillery 1st. Division 10/20/1914 10/25/1914

1st. Canadian Field Artillery Brigade 10/17/1914 4/23/1919

2nd Battalion Canadian Mounted Rifles 09/01/1915 2/29/1916

2nd Brigade Canadian Mounted Rifles 7/30/1915 12/31/1915

2nd Canadian Divisional Ammunition Column 11/11/1918 11/11/1918

2nd Canadian Infantry Battalion 10/14/1914 4/13/1919

2nd Canadian Infantry Battalion - Ontario East Regiment 8/17/1917 8/19/1917

2nd Canadian Siege Battery 11/11/1918 11/11/1918

3rd Battalion 10/19/1914 11/11/1918

3rd Canadian Divisional Trench Mortar Group 11/11/1918 11/11/1918

3rd Regiment, Canadian Mounted Rifles 12/01/1915 12/04/1915

4th Battalion 11/11/1918 11/11/1918

4th Battalion, Canadian Engineers 11/11/1918 11/11/1918

4th Canadian Divisional Ammuntion Column 7/16/1917 09/01/1917

4th Canadian Mounted Rifles 11/11/1918 11/11/1918

5th Battalion 01/01/1917 11/11/1918

5th Canadian Mounted Rifles 7/29/1915 11/11/1918

7th Battalion 11/11/1918 11/11/1918

7th Battalion, Canadian Railway Troops 4/21/1918 4/21/1918

7th Canadian Infantry Brigade 12/21/1915 01/01/1916

8th Battalion 11/11/1918 11/11/1918

9th Canadian Machine Gun Company 4/15/1916 5/18/1916

10th Battalion 10/19/1914 2/28/1919

10th Canadian Infantry Brigade Headquarters 05/01/1917 05/11/1917

13th Battalion 11/11/1918 11/11/1918

14th Battalion 11/11/1918 11/11/1918

15th Battalion 11/11/1918 11/11/1918

16th Battalion 11/11/1918 11/11/1918

18th Battalion 4/29/1915 11/11/1918

19th Battalion 05/01/1916 11/11/1918

20th Battalion 11/11/1918 11/11/1918

24th Battalion 11/11/1918 11/11/1918

25th Battalion 10/28/1914 12/29/1914

31st Battalion 08/01/1918 11/11/1918

42nd Battalion 08/01/1917 08/01/1918

43rd Canadian Infantry Battalion 04/03/1917 04/06/1917

44th Canadian Infantry Battalion 08/10/1916 4/30/1919

47th Battalion 08/10/1916 12/16/1917

49th Battalion 10/08/1915 2/28/1919

58th Battalion, Canadian Infantry 2/20/1916 6/30/1917

60th Canadian Infantry Battalion 4/22/1916 4/29/1917

72nd Battalion 4/23/1918 4/23/1918

87th Battalion 11/11/1918 11/11/1918

102nd Battalion 08/01/1916 5/31/1919

102nd Battery 11/14/1914 11/14/1914

107th Canadian Infantry Brigade 12/31/1915 12/31/1915

124th Battalion Pioneers (Governor General's Body Guard) 11/12/1915 11/29/1917

If the Canadian War Diary you are interested in is not listed above then search under:- http://www.canadiangreatwarproject.com//index.asp

(A MORE DETAILED LIST IS INCLUDED BELOW)

Here is the direct link to the page on the Canadian Great War Project that gives you an organized listing of the entire selection of war diaries available at Library & Archives Canada (LAC). You need to reference this page created by a volunteer (known as "Grandson Michael") so that you can see exactly what is available. The LAC site is searchable, but doesn't give a list, so you need to know exactly what you are looking for.

This list reveals some interesting diaries. Under "Medical Units" the link will take you to a listing of these including some Casualty Clearing Stations.

The links have been classified into 33 (more or less) sections, dealing with various parts of the available CEF and BEF War Diaries. A Union Jack (

) beside an entry indicates that there is content pertaining to BEF units.

Introduction: General information, links to terms and other stuff. http://www.canadiangreatwarproject.com/warDiaryLac/wdLacGeneral.asp

Canadian Corps Diary Entries http://www.canadiangreatwarproject.com/warDiaryLac/wdLacP01.asp

1st Canadian Division Diary Entries http://www.canadiangreatwarproject.com/warDiaryLac/wdLacP02.asp

2nd Canadian Division Diary Entries http://www.canadiangreatwarproject.com/warDiaryLac/wdLacP03.asp

3rd Canadian Division Diary Entries http://www.canadiangreatwarproject.com/warDiaryLac/wdLacP05.asp

4th Canadian Division Diary Entries http://www.canadiangreatwarproject.com/warDiaryLac/wdLacP06.asp

5th Canadian Division Diary Entries

Canadian Infantry Brigades Diary Entries

Canadian Infantry Battalions Diary Entries

Medical Units Diary Entries

Dental Units Diary Entries

Veterinary Units Diary Entries

Machine Gun Units Diary Entries

Artillery Units Diary Entries

Cavalry Units Diary Entries

Mortar Units Diary Entries

Engineer Units Diary Entries

Forestry Corps Diary Entries

Supply Unit Diary Entries

Canadian Army Service Corps Diary Entries

Depot Battalions Diary Entries

Ordnance Services Diary Entries

Record Office Diary Entries

Canadian School Diary Entries

Canadian Concentration and Embarkation Camp Diary Entries

Divisional Train and Ammunition Column Diary Entries

Canadian Mounted Rifles Diary Entries

Headquarters Diary Entries

Progress Charts Diary Entries

Canadian Military Districts Diary Entries

Department of the General Auditor Diary Entries

Miscellaneous Diary Entries

North Russian (Siberian) Expeditionary Force Diary Entries

British War Diaries

References with no entries

For Canadian Diaries see also the Matrix for Transcribed Diaries - Link provided by 'Laughton' : http://cefresearch.com/matrix/War%20Diaries/index.htm

2 Divn, 4 Brigade, 21 Battalion 1915

1916

1917

1918

1919

2 Divn, 5 Brigade, 25 Battalion 1914

1915

3 Divn, 7 Brigade, HQ 1915

1916

1917

1918

1919

3 Divn, 7 Brigade, P.P.C.L.I. 1914

1915

1916

1917

1918

1919

3 Divn (from Others), 9 Brigade 116 Battalion 1917-1919

4 Divn, 9 Brigade, 78 Battalion 1916-1919

4 Divn, 9 Brigade, 85 Battalion - NO LINK AS YET 1917-1919

SEE ALSO POST 146 by 'Borden Battery' BELOW FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ON CANADIAN AND AUSTRALIAN SOURCES FOR DIGITAL WAR DIARIES

Once again, many thanks for all who keep their diiaries listed

Bernard

[Bardess]

Please add:

11th Rifle Brigade 21.07.15 to 30.05.19

1/6th Gordon Highlanders 01.12.14 - 31.05.16

20th Coy Machine Gun Corps 31.05.15 to 24.11.15; 10.02.16 to 30.11.17

and please alter 1st Bn Grenadier Guards to start from 05.10.14

also 2nd Bn Scots Guards to start from 04.10.14

Cheers

[Rusty2727]

Anyone no where i can get 2/5 battalion KLR from jan 17 to nov 17?

[DesK161]

Have 4th Royal Fusiliers for Aug 1914 - Mar 1919.

Des

[magnetchief]

Please add.

War Diary

'F' Special Company R.E.

From 1-3-17 to 31-3-17 and 1-9-18 to 30-9-18

Just a couple of months, but may be of use to someone.

Many thanks to Pete S for photographing them for me.

[mattcw]

Hi

Does anyone have war diary for 231 brigade RFA ?

Thanks

Matt

[ororkep]

Hello Matt,

As this is your second request on this subject I'm wondering if you realise there is a published book available for your Brigade of interest, 231 Bde RFA.

'Over There. A commemorative History of The Old Leek Battery 1901 to 1919' by J.E.blore and J.R.Sherratt.

Still relatively inexpensive and available, some 156 pages with numerous photographs. Listing decorations and awards and Roll of Honour. A very good read with maps, and diary entries taken from those held at Kew and lots more additional information.

Rgds Paul

[mattcw]

Hi Paul

Thanks - I have got the said book but I am interested in seeing the actual war diaries and the detail they contain. I have also found the Nicholson Memorial website very useful too http://www.nicholsonmemorial.org.uk/

Regards

Matt

[Gunner5tribe]

Fantastic list of War Diaries!

Unless my eyesight is worse than I thought, it seems that 12th (Service) Battalion Kings Own Yorkshire Light Infantry (Miners) (Pioneers) is missing from the list of available online diaries. Would a member have it in electronic format and if so could I obtain a copy? Particularly interested period covering Sept 1915 to March 1917.

many thanks for your help,

cheers, ted underhill

[SFayers]

Hi Bernard,

I have the following digital copies of war diary extracts that you're more than welcome to add:

90th Field Ambulance, RAMC - 20th November 1915 to 10th January 1916 and 23rd to 30th June 1916.

91st Field Ambulance, RAMC - 25th June 1916 to 9th July 1916

46 Brigade, Royal Garrison Artillery - 19th January to December 1918

79 Brigade, Royal Garrison Artillery - January 1918

No. 1 Special Company (Mortar), Royal Engineers - 1st May to 14th June 1918

11th Battalion Cameron Highlanders - May 1919 (may be useful to someone!)

All the best

Steve

[SFayers]

Forgot to add:

45th Brigade, Royal Field Artillery - 1st May to 30th June 1916

Cheers

Steve

[sidibear]

I have the following:

25 DIVISION, 7 INFANTRY BRIGADE: 3 Battalion Worcestershire Regiment 1915 Nov. - 1917 Oct./ 4 Battalion South Staffordshire Regiment 1917 Oct. - 1918 July/ 9 Battalion Devonshire Regiment 1918 Sept. - 1919 June/ 20 Battalion Manchester Regiment 1918 Sept. - 1919 June/ 21 Battalion Manchester Regiment 1918 Sept. - 1919 July/ Brigade Machine Gun Company 1916 Jan. - 1918 Feb./ Brigade Trench Mortar Battery 1916 July - Aug.

[SFayers]

Thanks for the additional diaries, will update on Saturday/Sunday

Bernard

Not a problem Bernard - happy to help!

All the best

Steve

[sgmcgregor]

Hello Bernard (and everyone else too),

I have a complete copy of the 2nd Battalion Seaforth Highlanders - 4th Division, 10th Infantry Brigade available, and would be gald to provide assistance to anyone who wants anything looked up. I downloaded the complete diary from the National Archives for my own research.

Regards,

Steven McGregor

[Roger H]

Bernard

311th Brigade RFA: I now have the War Diaries from January 1917 to November 1918 inclusive rather than just for 1917 as previously "advertised".

Roger

[KennethB]

While searching the Australian War Memorial site I found these diaries of British Yeomanry units fighting in the Egyptian and Palestine campaigns along side the Australians. While some of these units are noted on the list, these dates are later in the war.

British 22nd Mounted Brigade (ANZAC Mounted Division)

Headquarters, 22nd Mounted Brigade, March 1917 to May 1917

1/1st Staffordshire Yeomanry, March 1917 to May 1917

1/1st East Riding Yeomanry, March 1917 to May 1917

1/1st Lincolnshire Yeomanry, March 1917 to 1917

British 5th Mounted Brigade (Australian Mounted Division)

1/1st Worcestershire Yeomanry, February 1917 to January 1918

1st Royal Gloucestershire Hussars Yeomanry, February 1917 to June 1918

1/1st Warwickshire Yeomanry, February 1917 to February 1918

1/1st Nottinghamshire Sherwood Rangers Yeomanry, Egyptian Expeditionary Force October 1917 to November 1917

http://www.awm.gov.a....asp?levelID=77

Ken

[cs_cooper]

I have a copy of the 13th Gloucesters - The Forest of Dean Pioneers.

Chris

[4thGordons]

Somehow I have not added mine. THANKS for this Bernard.

1/4th Gordon Highlanders Feb 1915 - Nov 1918.

1915 transcribed and online at: http://www.4thgordons.com/Bndiary1915.html

rest now transcribed and will be added when I can - PM or Email for sections in the meantime.

Chris

[jainvince]

UPDATED 14th September 2010

Lists updated include the British Infantry Regiments on page 1 and the Misc British Regiments etc on page 6 above.

Once again, many thanks for those who are happy to have diaries listed and those who provide details of diaries avaiable on-line.

Bernard

[Borden Battery]

Here are some additional sources of both scanned and hand transcribed war diaries - these websites should be familiar to many of you. Borden Battery

*Canadian Great War Project

This massive database and reference website enables one to research Canadians who participated in the Great War – perhaps the first place to begin any serious research. The website is very extensive and the features are beyond a short abstract - the reader should allocate several hours to fully appreciate it. At present there are over 116,000 database records of individual soldiers in the database. In addition, a significant data base of some Nominal Rolls has also been developed. Not all entries have full details but these are being built up soldier by soldier. In addition, there is now a “GrandsonMicheal” section which greatly facilitates the access and reading of many of the digitized CEF war diaries and now a section of BEF war diaries. Marc Leroux is always looking for a few dedicated volunteers to assist in expanding the records base. [A Marc Leroux website][CEF Study Group – Updated Aug 2010]

http://www.canadiangreatwarproject.com

Library and Archives Canada - War Diaries of the First World War

This database contains the digitized War Diaries of the Canadian Expeditionary Force (CEF) units. From the start of the First World War, CEF units were required to maintain a daily account of their “Actions in the Field.” This log was called a War Diary. The War Diaries are not personal diaries, rather they are a historical record of a unit’s administration, operations and activities during the First World War. [CEF Study Group - Updated July 2006]

http://www.collectionscanada.ca/archivianet/020152_e.html

First World War Diaries - AIF

The war diaries generally consist of war diary or intelligence summary sheets located at the beginning of each diary which record the date of each entry, the unit’s location, a summary of events and any remarks or references to appendices. The material is listed in some 35 class categories and the sub-class categories. At present, the amount of original manuscript material is minimal, however, the reader will obtain a general idea of the organization of the AIF from the categories provided. The Canadian Archives work is still the standard. [CEF Study Group - Sept 2010]

http://www.awm.gov.au/collection/war_diaries/first_world_war/

[shootdown1]

I have the following:

25 DIVISION, 7 INFANTRY BRIGADE: 3 Battalion Worcestershire Regiment 1915 Nov. - 1917 Oct./ 4 Battalion South Staffordshire Regiment 1917 Oct. - 1918 July/ 9 Battalion Devonshire Regiment 1918 Sept. - 1919 June/ 20 Battalion Manchester Regiment 1918 Sept. - 1919 June/ 21 Battalion Manchester Regiment 1918 Sept. - 1919 July/ Brigade Machine Gun Company 1916 Jan. - 1918 Feb./ Brigade Trench Mortar Battery 1916 July - Aug.

[/quote

Hi Paul,

Do you have any entries for 7TH Inf brigade, 9TH,10TH, 11TH, and 12TH of April 1918

[squirrel]

Does anybody have the war diary for the 11th battalion Border Regiment (the Lonsdale battalion)?

Specifically for the months of February and July 1917.

Any assistance greatly appreciated.

[Donald D]

I can add the following war diaries:

10th Battalion KSLI from March to July 1917, November to December 1917 and March 1918. While the battalion was in Palestine with 231st brigade 74 Division.

2nd HLI Aug 1914 to 1919

1st KRRC Mar 1916 to 1919

1st Royal Berks Dec 1915 to 1919

2nd Ox & Bucks Aug 1914 to 1919

22nd Royal Fusiliers Dec 1915 to Feb 1918

23rd Royal Fusiliers Nov 1915 to Mar 1917

[Jonathan_NW]

Hi Bernard

I have this lot if you would like to add them to your list. The offer is open to everyone. There are diaries, raid orders, maps...the lot!

55 DIVISION, 166 INFANTRY BRIGADE:

1/5 Battalion Loyal North Lancashire Regiment 1916 Jan. - 1917 Dec.

1/5 Battalion South Lancashire Regiment 1916 Jan. - 1919 July

1/10 Battalion King's Liverpool Regiment 1916 Jan. - 1919.

Cheers

Jonathan